Hello lovelies,
when the evenings turn cooler and the pumpkins glow in every color, there's a big pot of pumpkin soup on our stove almost every week, and when I want it sweeter and rounder, sweet potato and coconut milk go into the pot for my sweet potato pumpkin soup. It's the autumn classic through and through: creamy, warming and made with very few ingredients. My favorite is a ripe muscat pumpkin – it's fine and lightly sweet and turns wonderfully velvety once puréed. If you want to use the rest of that muscat pumpkin differently, my overview of pumpkin dishes for the season has plenty of ideas.
The trick to lots of flavor from few ingredients is in the base: I sauté shallot and freshly grated ginger briefly, add the pumpkin and a small piece of potato, and let everything roast for a moment before the vegetable broth and a splash of plant drink go in. The potato makes the soup nicely creamy, entirely without cream. After puréeing comes my favorite little touch: a splash of fresh orange juice that lifts the sweetness of the pumpkin and brings a fine tartness.
Then I get to have a little fun with the topping: toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, a dollop of dark balsamic cream, a little cress and a swirl of vegan cream. That's how a simple soup becomes a small autumn dish that impresses guests too, and curry, ginger and a caramelized pear take my creamy pumpkin soup with caramelized pears a step further still, though this plain pot is the one my family asks for. My kids love dunking crusty bread into it – and the pot is usually empty faster than I can look.
This pumpkin soup is part of my favorite warming soup recipes for the cold season. If you like, try my creamy carrot-lentil soup or the hearty creamy potato soup with veggies too – both come together just as quickly and are a firm part of autumn in our house.
